Counting Stars
by coffeeandcas
Summary: Dean and Cas rarely get to spend any quality time together, so when they do Dean likes to plan different surprises for Castiel. Tonight, it's stargazing by a secluded lake - very romantic indeed. Then Dean has another idea...


"What did you say that one was?"

Dean points randomly up into the sky and Cas snuffles a laugh.

"Which one, Dean? There are hundreds up there. Thousands. More than you can count in your lifetime. Which one do you mean?"

"That one." Dean gestures again, but Cas just rolls his eyes. "There! Next to... all the other stars."

"Oh, I see. Very specific, thank you."

Dean nudges Cas and the angel smiles, wrapping his arm a little closer around the hunter. They're lying on the hood of the Impala, and have been stargazing for so long that Castiel has lost track of time. Dean has the ignition on, and some old rock ballad is playing from the speakers and Cas can't remember the last time he felt so relaxed. Their lives are so busy, so hectic, sometimes so bloody and brutal that he and Dean rarely get a quiet moment together, just to spend time in each other's company outside of the bunker. Away from the rat race that is the life of a hunter and his angel. So this, to Castiel, is pure bliss. Just them, uninterrupted, together.

They had come back after a long day, but before Cas could retire to the library to read and let Dean and Sam shower and find something to eat, Dean had gripped both his hands and dragged him back up the steps, calling to Sam not to wait up. Cas had queried why they were leaving again, and Dean had simply shaken his head and said 'surprise'. They had stopped to pick up dinner as the sun set, and had eaten bacon-double-cheese burgers in the Impala while Dean drove with the windows down and his music loud. He had driven for a while, his hand resting gently on Cas' thigh, until they were far out of town and had reached a small seclusion of trees. In the centre was a small lake and as Dean pulled the car to a stop and Cas glanced up, he could barely contain a gasp. The stars seemed so close, so vibrant away from all the light pollution of the town, and he knew immediately why Dean had brought him here. The beauty is almost incomparable.

Dean sighs against him, and snuggles a little closer to Cas' side. Cas is on his back, one arm behind his head as a pillow and the other clasped around Dean's shoulders; the hunter is lying against the angel, curled into his side and is presently nuzzling his neck and smiling against warm, soft skin. Cas tilts his head, exposing his throat and letting Dean kiss him. They've rarely had time to enjoy each other over the last few weeks, and Cas' skin is tingling wherever the hunter touches him.

"I love you, Cas," Dean whispers against his throat and Castiel's heart skips a beat.

He knows Dean loves him, although he very rarely says it. It seems to take a lot for Dean to come up with the words, and he only says them when the mood is absolutely right, or if he knows Cas needs to hear it. Tonight, it's both. Cas loves Dean more than he ever dreamed possible, and if he believed in soulmates - a belief which is, truth be told, growing stronger every day - then he knows Dean would be his. He's been bonded to the loud, sarcastic, devastatingly handsome hunter since the day he first laid a hand on him in Hell, since he rebuilt Dean from the most basic atom upwards, although it took Dean a while to realise that he too feels the same. They're Dean and Cas. They belong together.

Dean sits up, running a hand through his hair and eyeing the glimmering lake with a mischievous glint to his eye. It's a warm evening, the breeze stroking their skin and tousling their hair, and Dean has an idea.

"Hey, Cas? You ever been skinny dipping?"

"Have I ever what?" Cas eyes him lazily, bemused. "No. I don't believe I have."

"Well then." Dean slides off the hood of the car and reaches inside to turn the music up a little. It's a slow, lilting song and he sings along, words about love, settling down, and a simple life. Cas likes it, and Dean has a nice voice, if a little off-key at times.

"What does it involve?"

He eyes the lake suspiciously. It's a balmy evening, but the water has the potential to be cold and Cas is enjoying cuddling with Dean far too much to stand shivering in chilly water. The very phrase 'skinny dipping' does not sound appealing to the serious, studious angel. Dean grins at him, eyes bright and playful, and he yanks Cas off the car with a firm tug to his ankle. The angel almost falls, yelping in surprise, and Dean catches him, fisting his hands in the familiar trench coat and drawing it down off Cas' shoulders and tossing it onto the hood of the car.

"You've been missing out, Cas. Although I have to say, I'm glad to be the person taking your skinny dipping virginity." Dean kisses his way up Castiel's neck to his jaw, and Cas hums in pleasure.

"So it's…a sexual thing?"

"Can be…if we want it to be…"

Dean's fingers are nimbly unbuttoning Cas' shirt, and the angel gets the idea. He helps Dean shrug off his jacket and overshirt, lifting his t-shirt and pulling it over his head at the same time as Dean pushes the dress shirt off Cas' shoulders, leaving him bare-chested and feeling exposed. He shivers in the breeze, nipples hardening reflexively, and Dean brushes his thumbs over them, illiciting a moan from his lover. Dean then, to Castiel's outrage, presses one quick kiss to his mouth, steps deftly away and shoves his jeans and boxers down and off in one fluid motion, kicking his shoes off as he does. He then nudges Cas, hard, and says, 'tag, you're it!' before turning tail and heading for the lake.

Cas is left half-dressed, staring after the hunter as he heads straight for the lake at a jog, throwing himself into the water in a graceless dive, and comes up shaking his head like a dog and sending water droplets showering everywhere, glistening in the moonlight. He splashes at Cas, who recoils and just stares; Dean expects him to get in there with him…naked?

"Come on, don't be shy!" Dean splashes him again and Cas frowns. It doesn't look cold, Dean isn't shivering. Maybe he should join him. Plus, any pastime that involves a naked Dean is one Castiel is very, very keen to be a part of.

He strips the rest of his clothing quickly, folding it and placing it neatly on the shiny roof of the Impala, and approaches the lake at a much slower speed to Dean. The hunter is lounging in the shallows, smiling at Cas and appraising him with a deep, sinful full-body once-over. His gaze lingers at Castiel's groin, where his half-hard cock hangs hot and heavy between his thighs, moving slightly as he walks, and Cas feels a predatory grin spread across his face. This is, indeed, a pastime he could get used to. The water is chilly but not freezing, and he moves forward slowly until he's submerged to mid-thigh, his balls just skimming the surface and making him shiver. He stops, trying to work up the courage to submerge himself completely, and Dean takes the decision from him; he splashes Cas. Not just a gentle sprinkle of droplets either - he spreads his arms, lies back in the water and kicks his legs and the angel is drenched, and backs away spluttering.

"Dean!"

Dean is falling about laughing, and Cas can't help but let a wolfish grin spread across his face. Dean's laughing so much that he isn't really paying attention, and Cas uses the moment to dive for the hunter, grabbing him around the waist and tackling him so they both go under and come up gasping and soaked all over.

"Cas!"

"Serves you right," Cas presses close to Dean, pushing the hunter's wet hair off his face with both hands and kisses him, deeply, the glimmer of the galaxy cutting a wide streak across the sky above them and reflecting off the water as the ripples they make slowly fade away.

They stand, clutching each other close, hungrily, kissing and exploring each other's lips with a languid, slowly-building need. Cas runs his hands up and down Dean's back, enjoying the feeling of rippling muscles under soft, slick skin. Dean's fingers dig into the angel's hips as he parts his lips and acquiesces to Cas' tongue. Cas growls into his mouth, dipping his tongue in and tracing the inner contours of his lover's mouth as a slow heat builds between them and an ache begins to form between Dean's legs. He can feel his cock filling and as Cas kisses him fiercely he's sure he's leaking precome already, the wave of arousal is so strong and rushes up so quickly it makes him feel dizzy.

Cas slides his hands down Dean's back, down to cup his ass and lifts him bodily out of the water; Dean's thighs wrap around his angel's waist and Cas carries him back towards the water's edge, their lips never parting even for a second. The man is panting as Cas lies him down on his back where the lake meets the land, still in the water but only barely, and beneath the starlight Castiel thinks he's looking at the infinite definition of beauty.

Dean stretches out, all lean muscle and tanned skin, and Cas' hands find his and their fingers link together; Cas pins Dean's hands either side of his head and kisses him deeply, beautifully, settling between his thighs and Dean sighs in pleasure. It feels so good to have Cas naked against him. The cool lap of the water around them is creating a strange, heady kind of arousal, and Dean's into it. He can feel Castiel's erect cock pressing against his stomach, slotting in beside his own, and he moans softly as Cas rocks his hips downwards and smirks against his mouth.

"Cas…oh, Cas, God, baby yes…"

"You're so beautiful, Dean."

Cas cants his hips again, grinning between Dean's spread legs and they both groan at the pleasure that spills through them. Their cocks slide together, wet and pulsing and needy, and Dean swears blind that this is heaven. Behind them, the music from the Impala plays on and on, the water cooling their flushed skin as Cas continues to grind and arch against his lover, and Dean gives himself up to the sensation of being loved. Cas loves him, desires him, and Dean feels something he will never admit to when Cas looks down at him the way he is right now, all dark-eyed and panting and raw: Dean feels sexy; hot, desirable…needed. He's spent so long being so down on himself, and Cas makes it his life's work to chase any negativity from Dean's mind, and when they're alone together and in the throes of passion Dean lets him work his magic, and forgets to feel down on himself. It's impossible to dislike himself while Cas is above him, pleasuring him, showering him with adoration and fierce, fierce infatuation.

"Fuck…Cas!"

Cas has shifted his hips and moved one hand down between them, stroking Dean's pulsing shaft with clear intent. He twists his wrist at the top of each stroke, playing with the sensitive head and dipping a fingertip into the slit to smear Dean's length with his precome. Dean pants, gazing up into Cas' blue, blue eyes and moans lewdly, gripping Cas by the shoulders, unable to do much more than hold on for the ride. He tosses his head back against the wet ground, exposing his throat which Cas takes full advantage of and attacks him with wet, hungry kisses, and Dean groans and sighs. It feels incredible, his entire body is humming with pleasure and he can feel his climax start to build deep in his abdomen. He can't keep still, canting his hips and writhing as Cas works him fast towards his orgasm.

"Mmm, oh yeah Cas, just like that…I'm so close baby, make me come…please…"

It's a quick, dirty handjob, and Cas' mouth latches on to Dean's neck to suck a deep red mark into the sensitive skin, one which he soothes with soft licks and kisses, and trails his tongue up over the pressure point to the hunter's roughly stubbled jaw and claims his mouth once more. Dean feels pressure building low in his groin as Castiel increases the speed of his stroking, rocking down in aborted little thrusts and tangling his tongue with Dean's and the pleasure builds and crests and…

Dean comes. It's intense, drawn-out, and Cas coaxes him through it with gentle hands and kisses to his throat as he spills all over the angel's hand and his own stomach. Every muscle tenses and his back arches as Cas pumps him slowly, beautifully, drawing a second wave from him as he spurts even more and cries out in ecstasy. The aftershocks shudder through him and Cas drinks in his low moans, slowing his stroking and caressing Dean's skin with his slick hand.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs into Dean's open, panting mouth, and the hunter smiles.

"You too."

Then, from above them, comes a low rumble and Cas looks up in sudden trepidation, rinsing his hand off in the water that suddenly feels pretty chilly to both of them.

"Dean. That was thunder. It's…" Cas has been so carried away with enjoying Dean's beautiful body that he hasn't realised a grey thundercloud has drawn in quickly, covering the stars and snaking towards the moon, bringing with it a torrential downpour - Castiel's keen ears can hear it coming, a low shhhhh as it approaches from somewhere behind the Impala. Music is still streaming from the car, a low beat now with crooning lyrics over the top; it's slow and sexy and one of Dean's favourite songs. "It's going to pour. We should get in the car."

"Really?" Dean just smiles lazily, exhausted and dated and very much aware that Cas hasn't come yet. He kisses his angel, reaching up to play with Cas' hair. "We're soaked already, what's the point?"

"The point is-" Cas' words are cut off by another clap of thunder which makes them both jump. "Dean, come on."

They scramble up together, and Cas is so busy looking up at the sky that he doesn't notice the wicked smirk tugging at Dean's lips as he breaks away and runs towards the car, towards their clothes, and Cas realises too late what he's planning to do.

"Dean!"

The hunter has grabbed the pile of clothes on the roof of the car and darts away from Cas, to the other side of the Impala and grins fiendishly at his lover.

"Come and get 'em, Cas!"

"Dean! Give me my clothes!" Cas darts to the left; Dean mirrors him, the car acting as a barrier between them and Dean can't help but bark out a laugh at the frustration in Castiel's face, his sudden embarrassment at his nudity. "Dean!"

"I'll give you them if you come over here and get them. It's a simple task, Cas; you not up to the challenge?"

Dean's smirk deepens and Cas growls, low in his throat as his eyes darken with a heady mix of frustration, lust, and wicked playfulness and Dean feels his body respond to Cas despite his recent, incredible orgasm. Damn, his boyfriend looks so fucking sexy when he's riled up and his hair is all messy like that. And the nakedness definitely helps…Dean's eyes roam hungrily over the angel's firm, toned body and as he drops his gaze to Castiel's groin he swallows, suddenly hot around the face and feels a stirring between his legs. Cas is hard, the tip of his beautiful cock glistening, and fuck if he doesn't looks ready to take Dean over and over until the hunter is spent and gasping and exhausted, on the edge of passing out and so in love with his angel that he can see nothing but him. Dean has seen that look before. He knows that look. He fucking loves that look.

Castiel is very definitely up to the challenge.

And with that, the heavens open and the rain comes.

Dean glances up, and that's when Cas pounces. He leaps onto the hood of the car, slides across it in one fluid motion and grabs Dean around the waist as they're soaked once again by the downpour. Dean yelps and twists away, Cas' clothes falling into a swiftly-forming puddle but the angel has lost interest in his pants and shirt. It's Dean he wants. He chases the hunter back towards the lake as Dean laughs and jeers, taunting him, teasing him, darting this way and that as Cas tries in vain to catch him. Dean is laughing in a way he isn't familiar with, the sound of the rain almost drowning it out and he shrieks with a sudden burst of joy and faux fright as Cas swipes too close and almost catches him. Cas is smiling broadly, laughing to himself and only half-heartedly trying to catch his hunter. Thunder crashes above them and lightning splits the sky behind the trees. He manages to snag Dean's wrist but the man twists away and Cas growls, huffing a laugh and reaches for him again as Dean heads back towards the Impala. They don't play like this. They don't laugh like this. Their lives are too loaded and intense, and whether it's the night air and the fact they're so far away from everyone, or the rain and the thunderstorm, neither of them know. But this is freedom neither of them know, and it's a freedom they can't help but fall into and enjoy.

Soon they're both wet, panting, giggling through gasping breaths, hair stuck to their foreheads and wrung out, and that's when Dean gives in. He comes to a stop and Cas plows straight into him, tackling him to the ground which is now slick with mud, and pins Dean down to kiss him deeply.

"I fucking love you, Dean."

Cas growls the words against his lips and they're almost lost in the sound of the rain splattering their skin, the trees, the rippling water and the mud beneath them. Hearing Cas swear makes Dean groan - the angel never, never does. He shivers, and it's only partly due to arousal. The cold from the rain and the ground below him is seeping into his flesh and he's chilled. Cas feels it, and kisses him again.

"The Impala. Come on."

"Cas, we're filthy," Dean whines, trembling again. The angel laces their fingers together and hauls Dean into a sitting position. "My Baby…"

"I'll clean her. Spotless, I promise. Come on, you need to get warm."

He pulls Dean to his feet, wraps an arm around his lover's waist and they stumble together back towards the car, slipping every few steps in the wet mud. Cas uses Dean's t-shirt to clean the excess off them, then opens the door and they both slide into the backseat. Dean fishes around for the blankets he had brought with him to snuggle with, and is thankful for the warmth from the car's idling engine. The music changes again, a little-known AC/DC track and he catches Castiel's smile. He knows Cas likes this song.

The angel wraps the blanket around Dean's shoulders, lying down on the backseat with his back against the door, and opens his arms for Dean to crawl into. They settle together, panting and chilled from the rain, and Dean closes his eyes as a gentle pulsing warmth spreads from where Cas' fingers are touching him right to the very core of his being, ebbing away to leave him warm and dry and content. Cas has used his grace to clean them up, and Dean snuggles closer, relaxing now that he doesn't have to worry about Baby getting totally trashed with mud. He leans up and nips Cas' jaw and the angel smiles down at him, pressing their lips gently together. The heat from their chase has dissipated, leaving behind a glowing intimacy and Dean's desire for Cas to fuck him raw has faded - for now. He loves being held by Cas, feeling his strong arms encircling his waist as they lie naked together, basking in the feel of each other's skin. Cuddling with his angel is certainly his favourite pastime. He can tell Cas isn't interested in sex right now either; the angel's cock is still half-hard against Dean's side but it's intimacy the angel wants. Soft kisses, gentle caresses and low voices. Dean can give him all that; he cuddles close, resting on Castiel's chest and sighing in contented bliss, letting his eyes fall closed. Cas strokes his shoulders and kisses his forehead and Dean murmurs his appreciation.

"Cas?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Cas doesn't respond; his throat is inexplicably tight and his eyes burn a little. He holds Dean closer, and the hunter understands. They snuggle together, kissing gently and whispering words of devotion into the shared breath between them as Dean slowly starts to fall asleep. Cas embraces him and kisses his forehead, and will watch over the hunter as he rests. As he always does, and always will do.

Outside, the rain has passed and the stars come out to play once more.


End file.
